Midway mark- Middendorf's is a meeting ground between north and south shores

Midway between the North Shore and LaPlace lies a little town named Manchac. Off of Interstate 55 in between St. Tammany and St. John Parishes, the town of Manchac, established in 1763, welcomes visitors and survives afloat in many climates and cultures.

Manchac has always seemed to divide one territory from another. It was the boundary between British West Florida and Spanish Louisiana from 1763 through 1783, the boundary between Spanish West Florida and the French Louisiana in 1803 and the boundary between the U.S. and Spanish West Florida from 1803 through 1810.

One recent Wednesday afternoon, the parking lot was packed with vehicles with license plates from all over the country. Cars aren't the only way to get there. You can pull your boat up to the dock and walk onto the covered waterside patio. The shaded patio has fans and misting systems to supplement the breezes off the Pass.

For the kids, Middendorf's provides an enclosed white sand beach play area. The Fishing and Wishing Well is a great place for little ones to catch a plastic fish. The sand wash area also is a big hit with kids and parents alike.

Established July 4, 1934, the original building is incorporated in an expanded structure. In 2007 owners Horst and Karen Pfeifer undertook a major renovation. The original dining room, the new main dining room, the bar, the air-conditioned glassed porch and the misted covered waterfront patio are all available for lunch and dinner, open Wednesday through Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Middendorf's is known for its world-famous ultra-thin crispy fried catfish, light as a chip.

Fried seafood is the draw. Knowing how to fry seafood makes for another great dish, half of a fried chicken. In fact, Middendorf's was the regular meeting location of the Fried Chicken Club.

When in season, broiled whole flounder stuffed with crabmeat stuffing and topped with lump crabmeat is a favorite. It's available at only a few restaurants, but it is on the menu at Middendorf's.

The restaurant serves three kinds of gumbo plus oyster stew and house made turtle soup. A unique appetizer is Middendorf's crawfish cakes with remoulade sauce. Other popular appetizers include broiled or barbecue oysters, alligator bites, and crawfish poppers.

Manchac crabs are famous for their flavor.

Middendorf's offers boiled Manchac crabs and boiled shrimp.

The restaurant also has some playful desserts including an old fashioned banana split with house-made ice cream, banana bread pudding, a white chocolate bourbon pecan pie and for special occasions, ice cream cake with a hat and a candle.

Middendorf's has many loyal repeat customers including Independence's former Mayor Michael Ragusa and his lovely wife Gail.

"I love to come here and get the whole catfish. It's really great. It looks good and it tastes good too. We come here every Friday," Ragusa said. Ragusa is no stranger to food events--he started the Sicilian Festival in downtown Independence, another fun food hang-out.

Along one wall is the Manchac and Middendorf time line with items donated by many customers including former menus, cookbooks, photos, matchbook covers and ashtrays, and newspaper and magazine articles about the restaurant. The Pfeifer's held a thank you party for the community and everyone who donated to the time line.

On the calendar

Horst and Karen Pfeifer make sure there are plenty of events at the restaurant.

Here is what is coming down the pipe at the restaurant.

Oktoberfest runs every Wednesday and Thursday from Oct. 5 through Nov. 10. Each week features a different German entree. Wiener Schnitzel (thin pork loin), Schlachtplatte (smoked pork chops), and Sauerbraten (pot roast in red wine) are just a few of the entrees with black forest cake or apple strudel for dessert.

On Nov. 12, at 8 a.m. is Middendorf's Manchac Run/Walk 10 mile, 10K and 5K. The 10K is a Crescent City Classic-qualifying race. The race is followed by a catfish dinner for all race entrants and is a benefit for the Hammond nonprofit "Options."

Karen Pfeifer and friend Jo Ann Ziller started "Options" -- a weaving program that connects developmentally disabled individuals with employment opportunities. Pfeifer realized she could teach developmentally disabled individuals to weave after visiting a program in Germany. Options Weaving Studio has grown from a half-day art therapy and enrichment program to a full-time weaving studio employing developmentally disabled individuals.

Quilting is another big hobby in the area and Middendorf's is a member of the Louisiana Quilt Trail. The Louisiana Quilt Trail features original and unique quilt squares depicted on large square wooden signs at a variety of attractions. Snap a picture, make up a square and you have a quilted memory of your trip. The Quilt Trail runs through five parishes in the local area.

Taking care of people seems to be second nature to the Pfeifers.

The Pfeifer's concern for others is well known.

"Horst and Karen are the greatest people. They are fabulous. Last flood, they came to my house and ripped my carpet out. They come to your home and help you personally. When there is an emergency, they check on all their employees and what do their employees need. They put the employees first, take care of their employees and then they take care of their own needs," said Marion Jackson, an employee at Middendorf's.

Flooding concern

With waterfront property, flooding is always a concern.

To hold back flooding, Pfeifer found a removable flood panel system in Denmark. He built permanent walls around the restaurant. The Danish flood panels fit into the wall spaces for driveways. The panels are reinforced by sandbags.

"The wall is flood protection with flood gates for the openings. It is about survival," Horst Pfeifer said. "When 75 people depend on you for a job like this, you need to put it up. All the flooding that you've seen on tv is draining and is going to come by me on this Pass. We put them up on Monday hoping we don't need them."

Pfeifer philosophy as a restauranteur is not about rampant consumerism.

"It's not all about me," said Horst Pfeifer. "My challenge and my goal is to make sure everybody who works here gets a full paycheck. That's why I put up the flood wall, get it ready, work to make the restaurant experience exciting for the customer. If I can produce and make sure the customers come here, then the employees get a full paycheck and that's great and that is what it is all about."

The recent flooding put everyone at Middendorf's to the test.

"Yes, it is horrible and yes, it is devastating. I have flooded three times out here and went through Katrina here and I know how I felt," Horst Pfeifer said. "Saturday I had 16 people staying at my house from employees and friends. Little by little we find something for everybody and help them get back in shape. You have to help them get back to normal. We all have to do our share to help them."

"As horrible and devastating as this flood is, people still need to work and make a living to get back to normal," he said. "Yesterday when we opened, people knew. The first table that walked in was two 75-year-old's and their house flooded. They come here every week and it is like their second home so it was one little thing for them, like a security blanket and they were happy to come here yesterday. It was a little bit of normalcy for them."